


Sense-memory

by janescott



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Community: kink_bingo, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-29
Updated: 2010-08-29
Packaged: 2017-10-11 07:40:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/110026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janescott/pseuds/janescott
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For my kink_bingo square, mind control/amnesia: http://janescott.livejournal.com/3955.html#cutid1 Cobb wakes up in limbo. Saito doesn't recognise him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sense-memory

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to mmyy9 for the Japanese translations. :-)

Cobb wakes up as a large wave buffets him to the shore. Again.

He's lost count of how many times he's woken up here. This time, though, he's not alone.

He registers feet, first, then expensive-looking linen pants, the cuffs washed a darker blue by the surf – the kind of pants that the very rich might wear on vacation. Cobb staggers to his feet and feels his heart thud in his chest. He takes in a ragged breath and does his best to clear his mind, because the last thing he needs way down here in Saito's subconscious are his own projections showing up.

He's about to say something, when Saito beats him to it.

"Mae ni dokoka de atta ka na?" _"Do I know you?"_

Cobb blinks and his hands twitch for a moment, wanting to reach out. He clenches his fists and stretches his fingers to rid themselves of the sense-memory of Saito's skin.

"Aa…Mae ni," Cobb replies slowly. _"You ... used to_."

Saito blinks and stares past him to the ocean before pulling his eyes back to Cobb's face. And now Cobb does risk it – reaching up to rest his palm against Saito's cheek.

"Atta dake jya nai. Yoku shitte ita." _"You knew me very well." _ Cobb picks his words carefully, like he's walking through a minefield.

Saito says nothing else, but brings his hand up to curl around Cobb's wrist. He doesn't try to move it away, but rubs his thumb over the inside of Cobb's wrist, an action – in real life – that never fails to produce a shiver.

"Kono kurai?" _"This well?"_ Saito asks, as he digs his thumbnail in hard enough to nearly make Cobb's knees buckle.

"Aa, sono kurai. Iya, motto." _"Yes. This well. Better,"_ Cobb says, gritting his teeth as he plants his feet more firmly on the shifting, wet sand.

"Omoi dase nai." _"I do not recognise you,"_ Saito says, frowning. "Demo doko ka…Natsukashii." _"But you look ... familiar."_

Cobb stands very still, his eyes now on the buildings behind Saito - a blasted, wasted landscapes of fallen skyscrapers tumbling into each other. There's one just behind Saito – the tallest and the most damaged – that's going to fall any minute.

Cobb has to time it just right.

"Omoidasu yo - sugu. Boku wo shinjite. Ima koko kara tsuredasu kara." _"You don't know me – yet. But I need you to trust me. I'm going to get you out of here."_

Saito's eyes widen, before he frowns.

"Tsuredasu? Doushite? Koko ga ie nano ni?" _"But this is my home. Why would you want me to leave my home?"_

Cobb doesn't have an answer for that. He could say, 'because this isn't real'; or 'this isn't your home', but doesn't want to get tangled up in those arguments again - he's determined to make this the last trip. To wake Saito up.

"Issho ni ite hoshii kara." _"Because I miss you,"_ he says, the truest thing in his heart coming out of his mouth unbidden. He leans forward and presses his mouth to Saito's – a dry, brief kiss.

"Ite kurenai to komaru kara." _"Because I need you,"_ Cobb says, sliding his free arm – the one not still in Saito's grip – around his neck, pulling him in closer. Saito responds this time; opening his mouth to Cobb like he does a dozen times a day in the real world; snatched, hasty kisses as they both go about their day.

"Dakara…" _"Because ..."_ Cobb's voice fails him as Saito slides both his hands around Cobb's neck, scratching his fingers through the short hairs at the back of his head.

It's another sense-memory, Cobb knows, but he'll take it, because Saito's eyes are still blank; the skin around them tight with confusion.

"Dakara…" _"Because ..."_ Saito echoes, his fingers still moving through Cobb's hair.

Cobb looks up at the building again, and it's about to fall on them.

He doesn't get a chance to say it before the skyscraper falls into the sea; killing them both and waking them up.

Saito looks over at Cobb as he wakes up, and Cobb holds his breath as he meets Saito's eyes, ignoring Arthur, who's fussing around both of them.

"Cobb," Saito says. "Mitsukete kuretannda ne." _"You found me."_


End file.
